


A Measure of Discomfiture

by Des98



Category: Avengers, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: BAMF! Loki, Drabble, Freeform, Gen, Loki is Alive, Loki is a boss, Loki wasn’t the bad guy in The Avengers, Mind Control, No Endgame Spoilers, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 06:02:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18614611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Des98/pseuds/Des98
Summary: Underestimating Loki is a bad idea. Somewhere in their deepest fears, Thanos’ armies know this.





	A Measure of Discomfiture

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a short Drabble that wouldn’t leave me alone and that I had to post, although in general my writer’s block is still being eh, or if not, it’s rather selective about what it will let me write about.

    _Loki._ Amongst Thanos’ soldiers, the name was enough to instantly inspire throughout their ranks a feeling of grudging respect, reluctant admiration, and no small amount of fear, if they were being completely honest. He was legendary among the mad titan’s armies for his ability to withstand their most creative and brutal tortures. It had taken them over a year to break him, which was an unprecedented record amongst torturers so skillful and vindictive as they were. Even then, he hadn’t agreed to do their bidding of his own free will, and the torture had only served to make him weak enough that the mind stone was actually effective in bringing him under their master’s control. Loki had managed to withstand and repel the power of an _infinity stone_ for over a year. And so, in the part of their minds where they kept their deepest, darkest secrets, Thanos’ soldiers were afraid of Loki. So afraid, in fact, that at times they had gone too far, to the point where the Asgardian’s heart had stopped beating and they were sure this was the end for them, having killed Thanos’ prized asset (the ability to Skywalk wasn’t something found every day, after all, and was highly necessary for Thanos’ plans to retrieve the tesseract).  But he never stayed down, no matter how far they went with their fire and their whips and their weapons of all sorts, and while the fact that he wouldn’t stay dead was a relief (as it meant that they hadn’t accidentally broken their master’s new toy beyond repair) it terrified them a little more every time it happened.

    Once they’d finally carried out their mission and Loki was under the control of Thanos and his Lieutenant, known only as The Other, they thought that surely he would not last a week after carrying out his great mission. But he’d surprised them all, even Thanos, by not only subverting the control of the mind stone enough to fail, but _breaking it completely_ with nothing more than an (albeit fairly intense) blow to the head. It shouldn’t have been possible. _Nothing_ that Loki did should have been possible. And so they feared him, even under their sneers and jibes and taunts in his direction as they tortured him, and even afterwards, they would look warily around the room as if to ensure he wasn’t somehow watching before they began to talk of him.

    Although his children and his soldiers would never acknowledge it, Thanos was sometimes far too arrogant for his own good, and as they watched him supposedly choke Loki to death after receiving the tesseract during their attack on the Asgardian _Statesman,_ they could not help but fear that something wasn’t right with the way their greatest foe had gone down so easily and without circumstance.  The fear prickled in the backs of their minds and they spoke of it in hushed tones when they were alone, free from the fear of being overheard by a superior officer who would no doubt discipline them severely for doubting their master.

    As it turns out, they were right to worry.


End file.
